Penn State President Graham Spanier answered Eco-Action's half-mile chain of 4,500 letters yesterday, releasing a statement outlining the university's goals to reduce pollution and pledging to do everything possible to reduce emissions.

The letters, which were signed by students who want the university to make a stronger commitment to the environment, were left in Spanier's office Tuesday following a rally at Old Main.

According to the statement, Spanier pledged to "take every step possible to reduce emissions without unduly increasing our costs" and outlined Penn State's goals to reduce resource use and pollution.

One goal is a "double-digit reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2012."

Eco-Action President Maura Cowley said the group is pleased that the rally sparked a dialogue with the administration, but Spanier's plan is still not enough.

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said the statement clearly articulated the university's stance on the environment.

"[Tuesday's protest] spurred the statement," he said. "But efforts to protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions were underway here long before that."

Spanier said in the statement that Penn State will purchase energy credits, launch an awareness campaign, support research for new technologies that would benefit the environment and convert some university-owned vehicles to alternative fuels.

However, Cowley said the group wants a 30 percent reduction, which would put emission levels below 2004 levels.

Eco-Action's next step will be to arrange a meeting with Spanier to negotiate plans, Cowley said. She said Eco-Action will continue to work with the Office of Physical Plant and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz to negotiate a more specific plan for the proposed double-digit reduction.

Schultz said the university has established a "key initiative on environmental stewardship," which includes reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"The fundamental difference be-tween us and the Eco-Action students is their wanting the administration to agree to a certain date and specific reduction by that date, which are both somewhat arbitrary," he said.

Schultz said his department will do the best it can while balancing money and other needs it has to recognize.

"We have to build new facilities, which increases greenhouse gas emissions," Schultz said. "I don't sign up
and promise something I'm not absolutely sure I can keep, and I told them this."

Cowley and Eco-Action Secretary Jo Mirenda said they think the university can do more.

"We believe the university can commit to a specific number, and we just want to know what that number is," Cowley said.

Mirenda said she did not attend Tuesday's protest but was involved in the process.

"The response sort of left me with an unfulfilled feeling," she said. "We were hoping for something more concrete that we could believe in because a campaign with such strong backing cannot be overlooked so easily."